First Christian Church
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
A Christ-centered community dedicated to making more and better disciples

What We Believe

We believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God. It is our rule of faith as individual believers, our constitution as a body and a roadmap as loving servants of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

Jesus himself showed his esteem for the written word by proclaiming God’s greatest commandments for us, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22: 37-39 NIV) 

Jesus last words on earth are known as “the Great Commission”, wherein he told his followers, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
(Matthew 28:19-20 NIV) 

Note the action verbs above regarding our beliefs at First Christian: love, go, disciple, baptize, teach, obey. Our faith and beliefs are of little use unless we are transformed within and activated without. The following “Gospel in a nutshell” contains some of the core truths that transform, activate and unite us as believers at First Christian:
Jesus Christ was virgin-born, sinless, died on the cross for our sins, was raised from the dead on the third day and is coming again (Matthew 1:18; Hebrews 4:15; I Corinthians 15:3-4; John 14:3). Salvation is a free gift, bestowed by God's grace and received by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Immersion in water of a professed believer is the Bible baptism (Acts 8:36-39) and such baptism is symbolic of Christ's death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:1-4). A believer's salvation is secured by Christ alone (John 10:27-28). The church is the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-33) and the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12). The local church is governed by godly men known as elders (Titus 1:5ff). The purpose of the church on earth is to fulfill the last command of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20). Christians are endowed with spiritual gifts which enable them to minister in the church (Ephesians 4:11ff). The Holy Spirit, whom every believer receives at conversion (Ephesians 1:13-14), leads and guides us.